Old Saint Paul's eBook

The conflagration appeared to proceed at the same
appalling rapidity. Halls, towers, churches, public
and private buildings, were burning to the number
of more than ten thousand, while clouds of smoke covered
the vast expanse of more than fifty miles. Travellers
approaching London from the north-east were enveloped
in it ten miles off, and the fiery reflection in the
sky could be discerned at an equal distance.
The “hideous storm,” as Evelyn terms the
fearful and astounding noise produced by the roaring
of the flames and the falling of the numerous fabrics,
continued without intermission during the whole of
that fatal night.

VI.

HOW THE GROCER’S HOUSE WAS BURNT.

It was full ten o’clock before Leonard could
obtain permission to quit the king’s party,
and he immediately hurried to Wood-street. He
had scarcely entered it, when the cry of “fire”
smote his ears, and rushing forward in an agony of
apprehension, he beheld Mr. Bloundel’s dwelling
in flames. A large crowd was collected before
the burning habitation, keeping guard over a vast
heap of goods and furniture that had been removed
from it.

So much beloved was Mr. Bloundel, and in such high
estimation was his character held, that all his neighbours,
on learning that his house was on fire, flew to his
assistance, and bestirred themselves so actively,
that in an extraordinary short space of time they had
emptied the house of every article of value, and placed
it out of danger in the street. In vain the grocer
urged them to desist: his entreaties were disregarded
by his zealous friends; and when he told them they
were profaning the Sabbath, they replied that the
responsibility of their conduct would rest entirely
on themselves, and they hoped they might never have
anything worse to answer for. In spite of his
disapproval of what was done, the grocer could not
but be sensibly touched by their devotion, and as
to his wife, she said, with tears in her eyes, that
“it was almost worth while having a fire to
prove what good friends they had.”

It was at this juncture that Leonard arrived.
Way was instantly made for him, and leaping over the
piles of chests and goods that blocked up the thoroughfare,
he flew to Mr. Bloundel, who was standing in front
of his flaming habitation with as calm and unmoved
an expression of countenance as if nothing was happening,
and presently ascertained from him in what manner
the fire had originated. It appeared that while
the whole of the family were assembled at prayers,
in the room ordinarily used for that purpose, they
were alarmed at supper by a strong smell of smoke,
which seemed to arise from the lower part of the house,
and that as soon as their devotions were ended, for
Mr. Bloundel would not allow them to stir before,
Stephen and Blaize had proceeded to ascertain the cause,
and on going down to the kitchen, found a dense smoke
issuing from the adjoining cellar, the door of which